CHAPTER FOUR
"And when the future hinges on the next words that are said, don't let logic interfere, believe your heart instead" ---Philip Robison
--- In The Peace Garden in New Macross City---
If only...
"If only I'd known what you were going to do, I would have never told you; I would have found another way to stop it. I never wanted you to trade your life for theirs, Rick."
Wiping the tears from her face, Lisa looked up at the statue of Skull One again and took another deep breath before continuing.
"She still blames me for your death. I don't think she'll ever forgive me but I've come to accept it. I know she visits you sometimes by the white roses that she leaves for you. And I'm glad because no one should be alone. I think in the end, she... she'd come to realized too what you meant to her."
Getting up from her sitting position on the ground, Lisa noticed that the sun had sunk lower than usual on the western horizon.
"Anyway, I came here today to ask you to come with me, Rick, to Tirol, to the stars, my love, to the stars and beyond. It's where we belonged. It's where we were meant to go, together. Everybody we know and love is going except Admiral Gloval and Claudia. The Admiral says that somebody has to stay and keep an eye on Leonard and Emerson but I think that's just his way of telling me that I'm ready; that it's time for me to take the command chair and face my destiny."
Tucking a strand of fly-a-way hair back behind her right ear, Lisa continued.
"I hope I've made the right decision by allowing families on this mission, Rick. I guess one never truly knows the future, only time will tell and history will judge whether I was right or wrong. So... what do you say, Captain Hunter? Is a direct order from your Commanding Officer required or will my dazzling smile do the trick?"
Lisa paused and waited before finishing.
"By the way, your son is driving me crazy with his persistency in demanding that I let Max teach him how to fly since Dana is already receiving lessons. I've never seen a kid wanting to fly as much as him, well, maybe Dana but I think she prefers to "kick ass" more. I told him earlier today that on this mission if Max has time, he could ask Max for lessons. You know what he said to me just before I came here, Rick? He said, 'it's like I was born to fly, mom'."
Blowing him a kiss, Lisa turned to leave when she felt a warm breeze sweeping through her and she smiled; a dazzling smile that never cease to leave Rick Hunter breathless.
Dizziness and the sharp pain in her head came out of nowhere, blinding her and knocking her off balance. It had her groping for support but there was none, only empty spaces and Lisa felt herself falling. She knew she was going to hit the ground hard and she braced herself for the immediate impact but it never came. Instead she saw life, images, time and space flashed in slow motion before her eyes like watching a vid in slow motion but in this case, it was rewinding.
"What the--" and the impact of the fall hit her. It was hard, ruthless and bone jarring. There was no warning that the world was changing, just a gentle slow slide into oblivion and she woke grasping for breath.
Choking from the smoke and dust, Lisa had a terrible sense of foreboding and the need to find shelter and survive was spurring her to stay awake. Slowly sitting up she saw double of everything. She felt off center; like everything about her was wrong.
Then the fire, smoke and chaos all around her suddenly registered and her mind screamed in horror. Oh my god! We're under attack! Ricky! I'm coming!
"Lisa! Lisa!" she heard someone calling out to her and slowly she turned to look at him.
Disbelief, disoriented and disconcerted, Lisa asked out loud as she stared up into Rick's blue eyes and saw love there as he stared back at her. "Am I dreaming?"
"No, you're not dreaming, Captain Hayes," he responded in a voice made husky with emotions. "Let me take care of you now for I love you, Lisa. It was you, always you despite what it may have seemed like. Forgive me for not seeing it until now."
She blinked a couple more times and stared at him again, not believing what her eyes were seeing. "Rick?"
"Yes. It's me, Lisa."
Too much emotion. Lisa let the contents of his previous statement roll over her head without any comments.
"Dream... it's just a dream. Rick's dead," she mumbled to herself.
Rick winced. "No. This is not a dream. I never knew what you meant to me until I realized that I would never see you again. Listen to me; my life without you would be empty and cold with no direction, purpose or meaning. I need you. I need your passion, your focus and your love. I need your forgiveness, Lisa."
"Forgiveness? What? Who are you?" Her tone was not friendly. "You can't be real. Leave me alone, who ever you are."
Really looking at her now, Rick realized that her eyes were glazed with shock and panic. He touched her face. God. Her skin was softer than he remembered, and so cool. She looked so remote, so lonely, so lost. "I'm so sorry, Lisa," he said, feeling like a heel for hurting her.
She was shaking and now crying-- silently for she hadn't made a sound but tears were flowing freely down her face. He'd never seen her this bad before, not since Mars anyway and not knowing what else to do or say, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.
"I am real, Lisa, and I'm not going to leave you," he assured her and patted her cheek gently, bending closer as if he could see between her lashes. "Come on, Lisa. You're okay."
Her eyes swept open then and stayed open, no fluttering or tentativeness. She was staring up at him and there was only six inches between them. She smiled a beautiful smile of welcome that made his heart do a back flip.
Rick Hunter kissed her then and the kiss was long, deep and full of yearning, promises and love; an everlasting love. He kissed her like he had all the time in world, like she was the most important person in his life; his number one, his treasure.
All around them sirens blared, fires blazed and missiles from a single Zentraedi battlecruiser continued to bombarded the city but in that moment, lost in Rick's kiss, his taste, Lisa felt safe, wanted and loved. A feeling she'd lost, buried and forgotten since his death.
Lisa knew she was dreaming or worse, had fallen of the deep end but she didn't care. Rick was here, he was flesh and blood; warm and strong. He was holding her and kissing her like he did that day, long ago when her wildest dream came true and her worst nightmare became a reality. A day that had hunted her since and not a day go by, does she not think about it or wished it was different.
What if...
"Rick! Lisa! Thank God, the both of you are okay. Come, we have to get to the shelters," a voice said from behind them, breaking Rick's kiss and dashing cold water on her fantasies.
Even in my dreams... I still can't shake you, Minmei, Lisa mused absent-mindedly and let Rick help her up, steadying her.
"Lisa, we have to go. We're needed at our duty stations," Rick said, holding her still firmly in his arms.
"Rick! We have to go to the shelters now! It's not safe here," Minmei yelled over the blast of a missile. "Come on, Rick, let's go! You've already done more than your share. This fight is not yours any longer. Let someone else take care of it. Come with me, we could be together-- be a family like you'd always hoped for. I love you, Rick!"
"Minmei, I'm sorry," Rick said and turned to look at her. "I never meant to hurt you but I'm in love with Lisa. Forgive me, it was always her but I was just too blinded by my childish fantasies to see it. Go to the shelters, Minmei, and please take care of yourself."
Why is this happening again? Lisa asked herself, looking from Rick to Minmei. This can't be real... It's too painful, don't remember, don't remember. Wake up, Lisa! Wake up!
"No! You can't! Rick, you can't leave me like this!" Minmei cried taking a couple more steps toward them. "If you love me, you'll come with me, NOW!"
"Let's go, Lisa," Rick said and took her hand, literally dragging her from the scene without looking back.
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"Lisa, can you make it to the bridge?" Rick asks as he pulled into the gate of the SDF-2 and slammed on the brake.
"Yes. I think so... Rick?"
Is this real? Can this be real? Is this even possible? Her mind kept telling her that it was impossible yet her heart pounded with excitement and hope. Can I be this blessed to be given a second chance? Do I dare believe it?
As she opened the door to get out of the car that Rick had commandeered to take them to the base, she looked up and saw Max and Miriya's VTs flying overhead; heading toward the direction of the Zentraedi battlecruiser.
"Never!" Lisa said, as if vowing against fate, destiny and every law of the universe. "You can't have him! Not again! He's mine!" Turning back to Rick, she grabbed his hand and held it tightly in hers.
Hearing her strange outburst and seeing the tears falling again as she grabbed his hand, Rick became alarmed. "Lisa, what is--"
"Rick, no matter what happens, please, please doesn't," she said, cutting him off and willing him to listen to her by squeezing his hand tighter in hers. "Please don't go up against Khyron's battlecruiser. Don't you dare! Do you hear me? I will die if I loose you again. I can stop him. I know I can. Trust me, Rick. I will stop Khyron. Promise me; promise me that you will not sacrifice yourself for me, for us-- Claudia, Admiral Gloval and the trio. Promise me!"
"Lisa, I don't underst--"
"Promise me!" she demanded.
"Okay. I promise. But Lisa--"
Her hands cupped his face then as she gazed into his eyes and smiled. "I love you, Rick Hunter. And I can't wait to spend my life with you."
Dumbfounded and knocked speechless by her beautiful, dazzling smile, Rick could only stare at her, memorizing everything about her at this moment to his memory.
Something had changed-- Lisa felt it and hope soared inside of her. "Good hunting, Captain Hunter," she said before he could say anything else and leaned in to kiss him.
As Lisa broke off the kiss, she whispered into his ear, "no matter what...trust me".
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"Commander Galliard!" Lisa said as she entered her bridge.
"Right here, Captain," a tall, handsome twenty-something officer answered and turned quickly to face her from his console.
"Don't think, commander, just follow my orders. Fire everything you have at the Zentraedi cruiser. Concentrate on the front forward shield and underside. Order abandon ship immediately when the gravity control center, four floors below us takes a direct hit. Get every men and women off this ship and away as far as possible. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Vanessa, Kim, Sammie, you're with me! Commander Galliard, the bridge is yours." Just before she and the trio exit the bridge, Lisa turned back once more to Commander Galliard.
"Don't let me down, Galliard!"
"No, Ma'am!"
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"Where are we going?" Kim asked Vanessa as they followed Lisa down the corridor, running. "That was totally wrong of her to abandon her bridge like that. Tony is so wrong for the job--"
"How should I know?" Vanessa answered, annoyed at Lisa for not slowing down at all since leaving the bridge. "I wish she would slow down, these heels are not meant for running. We are going to have a serious talk with the uniform people after this--"
"For once, will you two stop talking and just follow her?" Sammie said from behind them and pushed at Vanessa to move faster. "She said no questions and she's the Captain!"
"As if you can run any faster!" Kim yelled back to her.
Angry, Sammie double her strength and literally pushed them out of the way as she passed them.
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As Rick joined his team and prepare for a direct attack from the mechas and battlepods that were protecting the battlecruiser, a frightened male voice came over the tac net and Rick heard what he feared most.
"--- The SDF-2 has taken a direct hit. We've lost communications with her. She's sinking! ---"
"No!" Rick screamed and shouted into his commo screen. "Lisa! Captain Hayes! Do you hear me? Come in, Lisa, come in! Lisa!"
Damned you, Khyron! You'll pay for this! I'll kill you!
Suddenly a memory flashed before him and he froze.
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"Rick! Rick Hunter, is that you?!" Lisa's voice blasted through the scrambled lines to his personal com and the joy, relief and excitement in it as she said his name was the sweetest music he'd ever heard.
"Lisa!" he cried, "you're okay, thank God! You scared me half to death, Captain!"
"Rick, I'm aboard the SDF-1, and we're preparing to fire the main gun..."
"I know... Lisa, your dream; I remembered," he said quietly to her and touched the com screen as if he could touch her face.
"Rick, get out of there, now! Captain Hunter, do you hear me?" In desperation, she yelled at him, "You promised!"
"I trust you, Lisa--"
"Fire!" Gloval's voice boomed through the bridge and Claudia's finger pressed down hard on the main gun's button at her station.
Within a second of Claudia's quick finger, a radiant white beam erupted from the SDF-1 and cut strait across the gray, gloomy sky right into the heart of the Zentraedi battlecruiser. Everyone on the bridge cheered except for Lisa.
Please work. Oh god, please work.
She prayed and fisted her hands tightly on top of her console. She was shaking and icy cold and she wanted nothing more than to leave everything and go find Rick.
Be safe, Rick. Be safe, I can't lose you again.
"Status, Vanessa!"
"A direct hit, Sir! Khyron's ship is breaking apart even as we speak," said an excited Vanessa. "We did it, Admiral, Lisa's modification to the main gun's target point worked!"
Sammie, Kim and Vanessa all got out of their seats and joyfully hugged each other, yelling and screaming with happiness and relief.
Lisa broke into tears at Vanessa's report and was quickly enveloped in a hug by an equally happy Claudia.
"I don't know what happened here today, Lisa, but I'm glad…"
"One of these days, Claudia, over a cup of your herbal tea; I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything, I promise."
"I'll hold you to it," Claudia said they smiled at each other in understanding.
"Good work, girls," Admiral Gloval said and everyone on the bridge stopped what they were doing and turned to him. "We'll have time enough later to celebrate. Lets get back to work; you know the drill."
Everyone nodded and turned back to their duties.
"Lisa, I want everything on my desk in one hour," Gloval finished and turned to walk into his ready room, leaving the bridge to Lisa.
"Captain Hayes, we have regain communication with all our air squadrons---" Kim exclaimed and was cut short by Rick's incoming message; blasting through the ship's intercom.
"Lisa! Captain Hayes! Anyone on the SDF-1! Please answer..."
"He's your fly boy, Lisa," Claudia said with amusement. "I think you should answer him quickly before we all go deaf. The man really wants you."
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Nine Years Later...
Lisa smiled sadly as she stared at her reflection in the admiral's uniform in the large oval mirror hanging across from her. Admiral of the Fleet... if only my father could see me know. Who would have thought? Sighing, she moved to stare at her face and figure.
She had to admit that she hadn't changed much since that fateful day; not that she's vain or anything but having a younger, gorgeous, sexy husband made her conscious of her looks sometimes. She knew she was not a raging beauty but neither was she plain. She supposed she would be thought in the middle somewhere; attractive. She continued staring at her physical attributes a moment longer, as if she might discover something that she hadn't noticed before.
"Today's the day, Lisa," Rick said from behind her and she turned to watch him approach her. After all these years she still can't quiet believe that he's real, alive and hers. Watching him mature, shoulder responsibilities and accept who he is has been the greatest gift anyone could have given her. She knew she would always love him no matter what happens in the future.
The future... yea, been there, seen that and I'm not afraid. Not anymore. A quote suddenly popped in her head.
"I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today."
"I love you," he said as he touched her face. "Everything we've worked for and planned for is finally here," he finished and slid his hand down to the back of her neck and slowly pulled her towards him, kissing her lightly on the lips. "You look amazingly beautiful. I don't believe I've ever seen a more befitting Admiral of the Fleet."
"You don't look so bad yourself too, Admiral Hunter," Lisa said playfully and reached up to straiten his bow-tie.
"You okay, Lisa?"
"Yes. I'm just so excited but so anxious too. Am I making the right decision, Rick, for allowing families on this mission?" She asked as they walked out of their bedroom together, hands intertwined.
"We're the REF, our mission to Tirol is about peace, Lisa, don't second guess your decision," he said as they stopped in the living room, waiting. "As a father, I'm so thankful to you. I could never leave Ricky behind and I'm not the only one; every parent who had signed onto this mission is grateful to you."
"I can't find my new model plane, mom. Dana wants to see it," a child's voice yelled from the hallway.
"Under your bed," Lisa replied without hesitation and looked at her watch. "We're going to be late."
"I know what you're thinking," Rick said and whispered it for her ears only. "He would have been so proud of you, Lisa, because I am. I'm so proud of you and I'm the luckiest man alive."
Closing her eyes, Lisa blinked away the doubts and smiled at him; a dazzling smile that never ceased to leave Rick Hunter breathless.
"Thank you for trusting me, Rick, all those years ago; for loving me and for coming with me to Tirol."
"I'm right where I belonged, Lisa, with you, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
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Quote: William Allen White, American Journalist 1868-1944
Hello, I'm a sucker for HEA… what can I say? Sorry but I just had to add this chapter. Thank you for the reviews.